One thing is certain: Umair Masoom knows how to spot a trend early. He is also not averse to risk; some would say he courts it.

The instinct seems rooted in a curious restlessness that his outward calm does not betray. The same restlessness carried him through 12 jobs in as many years; it also secured him $3 million in seed funding within two weeks of his pitch.

That idea, now myco, is a Web3 streaming platform where users can co-own content. By 2024, the company was valued at $80 million, following a $10 million Series A round. It has also secured multi-million dollar deals for territorial streaming rights to ICC events and the English Premier League in Pakistan.

Twelve jobs, one failed start-up and a move to Dubai later, Umair Masoom is betting Pakistan’s streaming future on myco — and on his own inability to sit still

Twelve jobs, one failed start-up and a move to Dubai later, Umair Masoom is betting Pakistan’s streaming future on myco — and on his own inability to sit still

Born and raised in the measured quiet of Islamabad, Masoom moved with his family to frenetic Karachi in 2003. After missing the admission deadline for his first-choice university, he enrolled at the College of Business Management (CBM, now the Institute of Business Management). He scored a 4.0 GPA in his first semester and remained a high achiever throughout his four-year degree. He was also on the college football team.

In his fourth semester, Umair joined an automotive industry magazine, visiting showrooms and even mechanic workshops to secure advertisements. By graduation in 2007, he had spent 18 months at the ARY Group. “Juggling classes with work while managing grades was very tough,” he recalls. “But at the end of it, I was interviewing people, including my batchmates, as they applied for jobs.”

This practical experience, says Umair, not only gave him an edge over his peers but also taught him the art of the hustle.

Masoom completed his MBA over........

© Dawn (Magazines)